Post by SSA.NEWMEDIA.ABIA (@SSANEWMEDIAABIA)

𝗔𝗞𝗪𝗘𝗧𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗔𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗔𝗗𝗬, 𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜 𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗕𝗨 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗦 ₦𝟮 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧, 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗚𝗢𝗩. 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗫 𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗜.

Today, the first Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON,paid a historic visit to Akwete, Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, where she joined Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, and his wife, Her Excellency, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, to celebrate the world famous Akwete Weaving Cooperative Society.

The visit reached a memorable moment when the First Lady announced a ₦2 billion intervention to support the empowerment of Akwete women and expand the production of the globally admired Akwete fabric. She encouraged Nigerians, especially the people of the South East, to embrace and promote the indigenous textile, describing it as a treasured cultural heritage that deserves greater recognition.

Senator Tinubu also shared how a television documentary inspired her interest in Akwete weaving and disclosed that she intends to wear Akwete fabric during her husband's second term in office.

Governor Alex Otti thanked the First Lady for personally identifying with the women of Akwete, describing her visit as a major boost to ongoing efforts to restore the pride and economic value of the centuries-old weaving tradition. He disclosed that his administration had commenced engagement with the Akwete community shortly after assuming office in 2023 and expressed the State Government's readiness to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in establishing a modern production hub for the weavers.

The Governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for taking difficult economic decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira, noting that the reforms have increased resources available to the Federal, State and Local Governments for development. He added that Abia remains a home for everyone, maintaining that every resident who lives and works in the State enjoys equal opportunities regardless of ethnic or political background.

Earlier, the Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, described Akwete cloth as one of the oldest and finest textile traditions of the Igbo people, paying tribute to the legendary weaver Daada Nwankata for elevating the craft. She noted that Senator Oluremi Tinubu had become the first Nigerian First Lady to visit Akwete in person in support of its women weavers.

In separate goodwill messages, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Hon. Chris Nkwonta, Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah, and the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Mathew Ekwuribe, applauded the initiative and called for greater investment in the Akwete industry. Hon. Chris Nkwonta, a member of the APC, openly praised Governor Otti's style of governance and declared his support for him. The colourful event also featured the conferment of the traditional title "Ugo Nwanyi of Abia" (The Pride of Womanhood) on the First Lady, while Dr. Chima Desmond Anyaso commended both Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Mrs. Priscilla Otti for championing the economic empowerment of women through the revival of Akwete weaving.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗦.𝗢.𝗕. 𝗜𝗴𝘄𝗲
𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮
𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

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